The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1887-04-15
THEY MAKE THREE SENATORIAL
BALLOTS UNCERTAIN.
Both Perry and BlOxham Gain
and Lose Again.
Bin TO Amssd Paiaika's Municipal Government
In the Senate Hamilton Disston's
Letter Pronounced TOO
Vague"

Special to the Palatka News
TALLAHASSEE, FLA, April 14.-In the
joint caucus, to- night, eighty-six menl-
bers of the Legislature We're present.
There were three ballots, which ran as
follows:
First ballot: Bloxham 81: Perry 30;
blank and scattering 81.
Second ballot: Perry 3s; Bloxham 81;
blank and scattering 16.
Third ballot: Bloxham 36; Perry 81;
blank and scattering 10.
Other names were voted for, too nu-
merous to mention, only Finley getting
over five votes. The caucus adjourned
until tomorrow night. 1t is generally
understood among the members that the
variation in the vote for the principal
contestants was caused by an element
that favOrs neither of the chief contest
ants, but jumps from one side to the
other with the intention of rendering the
result of the ballot as uncertain and CON
fused as possible, in the hope of dead
lock, in which event their favorite dark
horses may be brought out of the bushes
anu oIi COuTSt. lie
of the final caucus is more uncertain
than eve.
There are no unusual developments
since my last dispatch i'm the Senatorial
matter, except that it is certain that one
Bloxham member has deserted. Blox-
hams apparent disposition to- cling to
Jones and try to save him from the con-
sequence of the exposure of his crook
edness instead of regulating him long
before the session convened is telling
against him. The excited Interest i'm the
result is growing daily.
Many prominent citizens from differ
ent States are daily arriving, and most
of the time outside of the sessions has
been devoted to indispensable committee
work spent by the members in an ami
mated conference with each other and
with outsiders.
LEGISLATIVE.
The House Committee ON Privileges
and Elections had its third meeting this
afternoon ON the contest from Dade Coun-
ty. Mr.. EVAN, the sitting member, was
represented by Judge NJ. l.. Mershon, of
Orlando, formerly of Georgia, and Mr.
Davidson, the contestant, by Col. Wm
Scott, of Sanford. Both delivered their
arguments and submitted the case The
committee still have the case under adj
visement.
In the House to-day Mr.. Hicks, of
Franklin, occupied the chair in the alb
sence of the Speaker.
MIR. Johns introduced bill in relation
to Osceola County, which is the same as
the Senate bill.
MIR. Bielby introduced bills to prevent
the pollution of waters of and preserve
the fish in Lake Louise and other waters
of VOlusia County.
The bill to prescribe the per diem of
jurors and witnesses passed third read
ing.
The Rev. Mr.. Culpepper, the noted
evangelist, who is leading series of
meetings i'm the Nj. f.. Church. having
been invited to preach i'm the Represen-
tative's Hall, the House adjourned
after inviting the Senate to attend the
meeting.
SENATE PROCEEDINGS.
In the Senate the Judiciary Committee
is at work ON several bills to prevent
cruelty to animals. 1t is probable it will
report a substitute for all.
Mr.. Mckinne offered a resolution re
quiring the Commissioner ON Lands and
Immigrants To report all sales of land
made under the act of 1883, allowing
actual settlers to purchase lands at -
cents per acre. The bill requiring the
clerk, judge and sheriff of each county
to keep their offices open each business
day from 10 to o'clock was debated and
passed over.
New bills wAre introduced: BY Mr.
Fowler, To reorganize the municipal gov
ernment of Palatka; referred to the Com
mittee on City and County Organization;
by MIR. Mann, bill to abolish the office
Of State Printer, create n printing com
mission and supervisor of public print
ing; referred tn the Committee on Public
Printing.
MIR. Stevens introduceda a bin to require
the payment or a capitation tax as a
prerequisite to voting.
The special order, the substitute for
Senate Bill IA, relating to divorces ON the
ground of conviction of husband or wife
of an Infamous crime, ON second read
ing. was taken up and occasioned
considerable animated debate.
Pending the debate the Senate acceoted
the invitation to attend the preaching i'm
the Representative Hail. and adjourned
until afternoon.
During the morning Mr.. Delano pre-
sented a copy of the resolution adopted
by the Board of Trustees of the Internal
Improvement Fund, after the receipt
of letter from Hamilton Disston to the
Governor. and moved that it be spread
ON the journal, which was agreed to.
The resolution of the Board recites the
report of the Commission and the con-
tents of the Disston letter. declining the
proposition of the letter as too vague and
indefinite to form the basis of intelli-
gent action on the part of the Board, and
requesting the Drainage Company to
reconvey all lands not declared drained
by the Commissionin its report and
accompanying maps. CHoArE.
The 1ongshoremen at Havemeyers
& Elders sugar houses, in Williams
buru N " struck Yesterday for Union